Kalamazoo Sweeps Doubleheader over Rockford

KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Growlers snapped a three-game losing streak with two victories over the Rockford Rivets in today's doubleheader.

An offensive outburst in the sixth inning of game one brought the Growlers the victory, and a seventh inning rally capped by a walk-off single to center field from Jonathan Foster scoring Sam Hall won game two for Kalamazoo.

Entering the sixth trailing 5-4 against the Rivets, the inning began for the Growlers with a Jason Sullivan single and Matt Mervis double. Two batters later Foster ripped his sixth home run of the season on a three run shot to left field. The Growlers would not look back scoring four more runs and beating the Rivets 11-5.

Jack Nelson started for the Growlers on the mound going 5 innings allowing four runs on two, two-run home runs. Andrew Belcik got the win in relief, pitching one inning and allowing one run.

Game two started quickly for the Growlers with a run in the first three innings. Jason Sullivan scored in the first inning on a sacrifice fly ball from Jordan Bowersox. Sullivan was involved in the second inning as well with an RBI single to plate Jared Miller. Bowersox scored the third run of the game coming around from first on a single to left-center field that was bobbled by Brennan Reback.

The Rivets scored one run off of Growlers starter Connor Adams in the fourth before tying the game in the 6th off of Andrew O'Dwyer.

This set the table in the seventh inning for the Growlers. Sam Hall led off the inning with a single to left center before being moved up on a Sullivan sac-bunt. After a Mervis ground out moved Hall to third, Bowersox drew a walk bringing up Foster. With two strikes he lined a single to center field to score Hall and give the Growlers the victory. It was the fourth walk-off of the season for the Growlers.

Mason Shinabery got the win for the Growlers as he was on the mound for the end of the sixth and seventh. He gave up four hits and no runs in relief.

The Growlers will complete their homestand tomorrow with another meeting against the Rivets at 3:05 PM.